This proposal will study the decline in mortality by age, sex, cause, and, when possible, rural-urban residence for geographic subunits of Germany over the period 1871-1939. Despite changes in political and geographic boundaries during the period, Germany presents and excellent case study because of he relatively high quality of its published historical data; the rapid socioeconomic changes as it experienced extensive industrialization and urbanization in this era; considerable social, economic, religious, and ethnic variation across space; and the fact that Germany furnished many of the life tables which underlie the Coale and Demeny Model East life tables. The basic unit of analysis will be the Regierungsbezirk (in the states of Prussia and Bavaria) or its analog in other states. The project will consist of two parts. The first aims to create a consistent data base of population by age, sex and rural-urban residence for selected census dates between 1871 and 1939 and also to provide mortality statistics by age, sex, cause, and residence around the same censuses. The object is series of cause of death multiple decrement life tables and age-standardized, cause- specific death rates, using a cause of death classification developed by Hallie Kintner. A data base will be constructed to include socioeconomic, demographic, and public health data for these geographic subunits. Germany is unusual for the variety and type of public health and medical statistics collected historically. The data are available in published form, and some have already been collected. The second part of the project will analyze the age/sex cause structure of mortality during the mortality decline and relate it to various socioeconomic, demographic, and public health factors. It is believed that such a study of historical geographic variation in mortality levels, trend, and differentials can contribute much more to understanding the process of mortality decline. The roles of socioeconomic versus medical/public health factors can be assessed.